Achart Eron Le'Graine
Personality Achart was very mild-mannered and unassuming. He came off as a goofy old man constantly misplacing things and with a fond love of assorted teas. He didn’t mind walking up to perfect strangers and striking up a conversation. Rudeness would be met with good humor and well wishes. Friendliness would prompt the old priest to offer a token of his gratitude. Achart was a quiet individual who enjoyed nothing more than a good book and a glass of herbal tea. Though seemingly always happy and content with the progression of the world around him, there was always a deep seated grief in the lines of his face and in the depth of his eyes. Few there are though who have ever been privileged enough to glance at the darker chapters of his life and even fewer remain who can speak of those times. Physical Appearance Achart was what one would assume for a human man of over one hundred years old. His shoulders were stooped with the weight of so many years. His hair was coarse and white with age. His face was heavily wrinkled and his beard was a snow white that often bothered him incessantly. His eyes were glazed over though it could be seen that they were once a teal blue. Achart walked with a distinguished shuffle lessened only by the cane he kept with him at all times. He exuded an air of peace and tranquility that few clergymen could rarely boast. It seemed at times that if a literal aura of soft light pervaded his elder form. He naturally shook in his movement and was slow but purposeful in everything he did. He never garbed himself in extravagant robes nor vestments of his hight office unless called to do so. Even then he always seemed odd in regal priestly robes. Wherever he went the old man was never without his trusty pouch of assorted teas. It became a familiar sight around the Cathedral and a sign of a long, pleasent conversation about nothing in particular. History Born in the Kingdom of Alterac to the great House of Mournhold, Achart knew a life of privilege that most could only dream about. For all of the luxuries afforded to him though he was never handed anything. Such was not the way of the Mournhold heritage. As he was growing, Achart was schooled privately in subjects such as History, Mathematics, Astrology, Martial Arts, and Philosophy. His mother, the widowed Gypsy Matriarch of the Arathi clans, was a strange woman but one who instilled a great moral conscience and obligation to his fellow man. Lessons that later contributed to his decision to join the Church. As a young man Achart chose to take up the mantle of a contemplative life and for eight years studied at the Monastery of Lordaeron. He took a particular interest in conventional medicine and pursued its instruction as often as possible. There he was schooled by some of the greatest minds of the age. There Achart befriended a humble priest that would later come to be known as one of the holiest men to ever live, Father Alonsus Faol. Their friendship lasted until Faol’s dying day and on the day of Achart’s Ordination, the newly appointed Bishop Faol was the one who administered his formal Vows. Much of Achart’s early time with the Church was spent in quiet study researching the Divine Powers. For ten years Achart worked with many top ranking priests of the Age to catalogue and understand the many gifts the priesthood was capable of using. It was not long after that Achart journeyed to the place that would become his home, Northshire Abbey and joined the ranks of the Clerics of Northshire as one of their Acolytes. There he worked to preserve the traditions of the Church and assist in the complete chronicling of Azeroth’s history. By the age of forty-five he had risen to sit as a Senior Cleric and Chief Archivist of the Abbey. Achart worked hard and compiled a thesis on the dynamics of each known School of Divine Magic and the effects of its use on both the natural world and its users. Prior to the Second Great War when Stormwind was besieged, Achart was instrumental in the preservation of much of the Abbey’s Archives. Though many things were lost in the chaos it was through his efforts that the majority of scrolls, tomes, and documents held within its walls were saved. While in exile Achart was advanced to the rank of High Cleric and sat on the Council of Northshire, the governing body of the Clerics. He implemented practices that stand to this day by streamlining the art of weaving Divine Healing with conventional medicine. He was appointed as Surgeon-General to Anduin Lothar. Alongside his fellow priests and physicians he oversaw the care of the wounded and collaborated with other medical officials of the several nations to ensure the good health of the Alliance armies at the time. Upon the defeat of Orgrim Doomhammer, Achart resigned his post as Surgeon-General of the Stormwind Armies and returned to the Kingdom of Stormwind in order to help rebuild. Under the direction of Archbishop Alonsus Faol, Achart designed and oversaw the reconstruction of Northshire Abbey. The process was long and difficult as political figures within both the Church of Light and the Order of Northshire, who at the time acted as an entity separate from the Church, both wanted influence. By right of Archbishop Faol previously serving as Abbot the Church of Light stressed its dominance over the Order. However the Clerics of Northshire, feeling themselves the progenitors of the modern day Church saw themselves above it. Many nights Achart acted as a mediator between the two factions. To appease the Clerics he was appointed as Deputy-Chief Architect of the Cathedral of Light but had little to do with its actual construction process. During the construction of the new Abbey, his main project at the time, Achart incorporated ancient geographical layouts meant to work in conjunction with Divine magic. Upon its completion Achart organized its consecration using a highly controversial ritual requiring an assembly of High Priests to lay down protective enchantments upon the Abbey and anchor them through the use of a Human link. Thus it was that Achart assumed the role of First Guardian of Northshire. He worked diligently to ensure the smooth return of the Clerics of Northshire to the Abbey, despite efforts by the Church of Light to overtake the institution completely. At the time, the Church of Light appointed an Abbess, Alliarah D’Lessiar, a woman who was a dear friend and associate of many Clerics. The Council of Northshire however still remained separate from the greater Church of Light. Shortly thereafter Achart was approached by the Council and offered the highest post within the Order, Grand Cleric of Northshire. He declined and in a political move that astounded many he nominated the Church of Light’s Abbess in his stead. Though there was much heated debate she eventually won the support of the Council and thus unified the Order of Northshire with that of the Church of the Holy Light thus allowing the Archdiocese a more direct role in the governance of the Abbey. Over the next few decades Achart continued to serve the Church as a High Cleric of the Order and Guardian of Northshire. He toiled ceaselessly to restore the knowledge lost during the siege of Stormwind and was largely uninvolved during the events of the Third Great War. He assisted during the Third War only in that he was a driving force behind convincing the Archdiocese to sanction Knights of the Silver Hand who went out on their own to fight the demonic hordes of the Burning Legion. At its conclusion, with Lordaeron gone, and many questioning their trust in the Holy Light, Achart turned his attention to more Evangelical work and researching ways to eradicate the threat of the Undead. He became increasingly fascinated with ancient Holy Artifacts and spent many years traveling the breadth of both Azeroth and Kalimdor spreading the Gospel of the Light and investigating old ruins. Eventually he returned to Northshire. There he continued his role as a High Cleric by revising the Seminary and mentoring young Novices of the Church. His lesson structure is still used to this day. When the Grand Cleric Alliarah D’Lessiar passed into the radiance of the Holy Light, Achart was again approached by the Council of Northshire to assume the post. As the senior member of the Council and indeed the most experienced Cleric within the entire Order, he accepted. He was anointed by the Council of Northshire privately as Grand Cleric and in order to preserve the work of his predecessor, Her Reverence Grand Cleric D’Lessiar, he was also installed as Abbot of Northshire. He then continued the work of improving ties between the Church and the Order and mentored young Novices as often as he could. Grand Cleric Achart Eron Le’Graine reigned as Head of the Order of Northshire, Abbot of Northshire Abbey and Guardian of the Northshire Valley for sixteen years. He died recovering a sacred and holy relic of great importance to the Church, the Pillar of Faith.